With the advent of spring, especially after this harsh winter, we are eager to get outside to train. Like early Daoists practicing tai ji by a stream or Shaolin monks kicking boulders in the misty mountains, practicing in nature is a time honored tradition.
It is common to all martial arts: gi clad karateka punching into crashing waves, krav maga practitioners fighting on sandy beaches or capoeira experts flipping and whirling on grass. In addition to the fresh air and being in the outdoors, it is the opportunity to use the natural surroundings as a training partner. In this week’s video, I use a fallen tree branch at the seashore as a natural Wing Chun wooden dummy to hone my tiger claw and animal techniques. (Sign up to our newsletter for secret tips hidden in our videos)
Spring is here. Let’s go out to train in nature’s dojo. Whether the backyard, park or garden, practicing your kata, sparring and meditating in nature is invigorating. It is a way to reconnect with the roots. Energize. Feel the qi! How do you use nature as a creative means of training?
Lawrence Tan
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Tags: fight, fighting, fu jou, hung gar, JKD, kung fu, Martial Arts, shaolin, tandao, tandaokungfu, wing chun
My backyard here, up in the Mt Dandenong Hills and parks are my favourite practice areas. You can certainly feel a deeper sense of chi as compared to practicing indoors.